


Naive Pig

by PastelCaterpillar



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluffy, Kissing, M/M, Pining, murray is an asshole but that's no surprise, uhhhh idk what else to tag m'dudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 11:31:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19789996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelCaterpillar/pseuds/PastelCaterpillar
Summary: Murray has some conflicting feelings during one of his and Alexei's shared movie nights. Alexei just wants him to shut his mouth.





	Naive Pig

**Author's Note:**

> glad im finally getting around to posting this. i hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> (note: i took like...two semesters of russian so if anything is off or not translated correctly, please let me know asap !! i'd really appreciate it! TY SM!)

Movie nights between them are usually pretty average.

They’ve been having them for quite a while now. Almost a year, in fact. It was something that Alexei had started on his own just a few weeks after he’d moved in. Having nowhere to go and most definitely not wanting to risk his life in Russia where the other scientists could easily find him, he'd had to weigh his options. And not only did he _know_ Murray, but he also knew that the man could understand him, was intelligent and competent, and lived in what was basically a well-secured warehouse far off from any potential danger. Until Alexei was sure he was in the clear from anymore bounty hunter-related threats, Murray was his best bet. And generously ( _as well as reluctantly_ ), he'd agreed to it. Even though the idea of being forced to interact with another human every single day made him cringe to his very core, it was _still_ Alexei. Thank God, it could have been anybody else. And anybody else would have been _far_ too annoying for his tastes. While other people in his life like Hopper or Joyce thought yelling and screaming at each other was a natural form of communication, Alexei's biggest flaw was that, well... _shit_. _Did he even have any?_

 _Oh yeah_ , he has a tendency to blow all his money on supermarket snacks, for some reason. And he also likes children??? _Disgusting. How naive_.

He seems to really enjoy living with Murray though, to his surprise. Despite everything, despite his overly paranoid persona, and his harshness towards others, and his tendency to be a little overbearing when it came to the privacy of their shared home; Alexei liked to mention to him often that he's "nice to live with," whatever the fuck that means. Perhaps it's understandable though, it must be truly relieving for Alexei to be able to communicate so smoothly with someone close to him in a space so safe. Especially someone like Murray, who somehow, despite all odds, had opened up to him in ways he’d never even thought possible. Like, he’d even started teaching him English somewhere along the way? Having to tell him everything in Russian got irritating after so long, unsurprisingly. And if Alexei was going to live there anyways, why not teach him a thing or two to help him get by?? It was as if Murray was spending as much time as possible making sure that Alexei felt comfortable in a country so foreign to him. The man _hated_ Russians before he met him. Absolutely despised them. He had been a true, unfiltered bigot.

Now?

Now, the two of them continue to spend at least one night a week watching any film of Alexei’s choice.

Which was Murray’s decision, by the way: “it’s _always_ Alexei’s choice.”

This meant that, no matter what, the film was also _always_ going to be animated. There wasn’t a single time when the Russian _didn’t_ pick something animated. At first, he’d shared with Murray about a dozen different Soviet animated films and cartoons ( _Murray had found himself to be especially fond of the wholesomeness that was Cheburashka. Mainly because it made Alexei smile so damn big_ ). And when they’d had their fair share of Soviet films, they moved on to some of the American ones Murray grew up with during his childhood. It had become a constant cycle of marathoning various cartoons on the VCR every week, and it never stopped. Not a single Friday shared between the two went without an animated film to enjoy. And it’s not like it’s a problem. It’s most definitely _not_ a problem. Not in the least. It’s actually a pretty damn relaxing way to end long, exhausting weeks, Murray thinks ( _and who can complain about cartoons?_ ) He’s probably watched more cartoons on VHS in the past year than he ever did throughout the majority of his adulthood. Watching them in between his personal, investigative work had proven to be a welcome change of pace from the more empty, lonesome days he’d spent at home in the past. Living in an off-grid, high-security warehouse _could_ get kind of lonely sometimes.

Anyways, now, right now, it’s _finally_ Friday night.

Murray’s _finally_ getting the opportunity to rest comfortably on the couch, a perfectly crisp glass of vodka in hand. He’s waited all week for this moment. The moment when he could, at long last, take some time to distract himself from the stresses of his research. Research which has been plaguing the inner workings of his mind since, like, Monday morning. He’d found, what could be, perhaps, some peculiar evidence about the Russians they’d all run into about a year ago? _Those_ Russians? _Uhhhh…Yeah_ , he’s gonna need to schedule a meeting with Joyce pretty soon to discuss that one. However, right now isn’t the time to be thinking about it.

Because right now, he’s got his vodka, and he’s got Alexei.

Said Ex-scientist has taken to sitting right next to him on the couch as the film begins, an elegant orchestra playing its way through the soft buzz of the television speakers. Alexei’s leaning over with his elbows to his knees, his hands clasped together underneath his chin. He’s got this hyper-focused look in his eye, staring intently at the screen with a wide grin spreading from cheek to cheek. Not only that, but his thinly framed glasses are slipping all cute-like down his nose. He hasn’t said a single word since the movie started, and he’s become completely enamored with the loving story presented in the plot. _Funny._ It’s kinda like how Murray has become completely and utterly enamored with hi-

Murray clears his throat.

For some reason, he hasn’t kept his mouth shut since they both sat down. Which is entirely bizarre because he’s usually so respectful during movie nights. In fact, he’s often the first one to pick at the annoying rat who decides they’re going to disrupt Alexei’s watching time with their irksome voice. Say, for example, the night they’d invited Joyce and her kids to come over? _Yikes_. It had already been a terrible idea from the beginning, really, considering his space is _supposed_ to be, y’know, _hidden_ from the rest of the world ( _and the very thought of children invading that space makes him want to grit his teeth in annoyance_ ). Not to mention, those kids were just... _so loud_. Honestly, why had Joyce been so surprised when he’d finally spoken up about it? All he’d done was call them shrieking, little babies. What, is it so wrong to tell children off when they’re being annoying?? _Unbelievable._ Regardless, perhaps the newfound information he’d been researching was beginning to get to his head. Maybe he was growing nervous, impatient. He couldn’t stop thinking about it after all, even though he desperately wanted to try. That had to be it, right? It had to be the threat of more of those slimy creatures littering the streets, coming to inevitably kill them all, that was weighing on his mind. The fear was undoubtedly what was making him stammer over his words as his heart beat about a million times a minute.

It was _most definitely_ the terror building up inside him.

And it had _nothing at all_ to do with the sickeningly sweet tingling deep inside his heart when Alexei lets out a small, charming laugh at the film playing like background noise in the dark room.

Murray yammers on.

He nervously pokes fun at the contrived, fantasy-esc themes of the film, trying so desperately to sound casual, but being more than aware that he’s failing miserably. He keeps glancing in Alexei’s direction to see if the dark-haired scientist is even paying attention to him. And, when he notices that he isn’t, he almost sighs in relief. Maybe if Alexei just continued to ignore his rambling, then there wouldn’t be much of a problem.? _See?_ _He has no reason to be nervous_! It’s a night like any other. All he’s gotta do is watch a movie with Alexei. _That’s it_. _Just relax._ A few moments pass, and Murray attempts to keep himself quiet. He sips on his vodka and taps his fingers anxiously on the glass. Within mere seconds, he’s babbling again. _Goddammit. Why can’t he control himself_? He alternates between Russian and English as he chatters, trying to find a weird balance between words Alexei has come to understand in the last year. There’s a lot of phrases he’s picked up on just by observation alone, which is no surprise considering that big, ol’, genius brain of his. Still, even being so delightfully intelligent, he’s nowhere near fluent yet. Not even close. There’s still a ton of bullshit left for him to learn, and English is one hell of a frustrating language for even a brilliant mind like his to understand. No surprise, really.

At some point, Alexei gestures a finger at the technicolor screen, which is flashing Disney’s Sleeping Beauty brightly and, interrupting Murray’s nervous mumbling and nonstop thoughts; he mutters in broken English, “The picture is so pretty.” His accent is noticeably thick.

A slight chill suddenly fills the room, and Murray shivers, asking the other, “Huh? The Picture? Like, the animation?” Alexei glances at the other man with a peculiar look on his face.

“Ani-may-shon?”

"да, анимация, Лёша." ( _Yes, animation, Lyosha_.)

"Ah..." Alexei nods, "я понимаю. ( _I understand_.) Да, the _animation_ . it is...прекрасный..." ( _beautiful..._ )

The room is dark, almost pitch black, save for the various bright colors radiating from the screen of the television. Alexei is absolutely right. No doubt about it, the film is gorgeous. There's these beautifully, intricately painted backgrounds resting softly behind the flowing movements of each fluidly moving character. The palettes coloring each and every frame are vibrant, yet subtle, even. After carefully analyzing the details of them for a solid ten minutes, Murray takes just a second to look admiringly at Alexei.

He bites his chapped lip, heart skipping a beat.

It’s the way those same, vibrant colors are flickering and dancing along the reflection of his glasses. It’s the bright expression in is joyous eyes, the real, pure enjoyment beaming amongst his soft features. All of it is enough to make his hands clammy. _Fuck_ , he can’t _still_ be nervous. He’s gotta _relax_. Just relax and not at all acknowledge Alexei’s adorably plump lips forming into a frown at one of the more upsetting moments of the film. It almost makes him want to-

Murray immediately shakes himself of the thought. 

This is _crazy_ , this positively fucking _insane_. Has he gone nuts?? Has he lost his damn mind?? He can’t be thinking of his roommate like that! That’s not…. _ARGH_!!! That’s _not_ who he is! He’s a _private investigator_. An angry, lonely, private investigator, with a lack of empathy, who is in _no way_ capable of experiencing _romancy-shmancy_ feelings for another person. What’s got him thinking this way? Is it the vodka? _It can’t be the vodka_. Is it the stress? His social environment? _He has been changing an awful lot recently_. Hell, he _did_ let a couple of children into his warehouse just a while back. That’s something that he _never ever_ would have done if Alexei hadn’t come into his life. _What the fuck was Alexei doing to him?? Is he even himself anymore?_ It's here, when Murray realizes he’s been rambling out-loud again. _Goddammit._ Not about his thoughts though, god forbid. Rather, he's been info-dumping annoyingly about American animation and the development of Walt Disney as a company. Somehow, he hadn’t even been aware that he was doing it. _Is that even possible??_ With a sudden pause, he sighs.

"Excuse me, one second." He then proceeds to take one, giant gulp of the vodka in his glass. The sting traveling down his throat is nothing he's not used to by this point. He feels it all the time, and right now, it certainly serves as a great distraction from whatever the fuck is going on in the depths of his mind. Lowering the glass, he sighs again, rather loud and obnoxiously.

He doesn’t notice Alexei's annoyed glance in his direction.

That weird, sliver of cold air seems to rush past him again, and Murray jolts at the sudden chill. Clutching the silk of his robe close to his body, he groans. He sits up, reaching over the small table in front of the couch to quickly grab hold of a small tube of chapstick with his free hand. As he does, he darts his curious eyes in Alexei’s direction again. The Russian isn’t smiling anymore, nor is he frowning. He looks…unamused? Murray fiddles with the tube of chapstick in between shaken fingers.

"Hah…wouldn't it be _marvelous_ , Lyosha, if this warehouse were built with a better heating system? I’ve put so much _work_ and _effort_ into perfecting the security of this damn place, that I, apparently, so stupidly forgot to make it comfortable for the cold months! Can you believe it? I truly, honestly have no idea how- _hm_ -how I’ve managed to survive all these years without it. _Hmm_. Maybe going underground into that secret Russian base did something to me, _huh_?” He’s babbling again, and not about anything important, “I suppose that would mean, _heh_ , that you’d be experiencing the same chill too then, right?” Murray shakes his head, “We’re both forever genetically cursed to suffer in the cold, my friend.” A laugh. Obviously he’s joking, but Alexei doesn’t seem too pleased. Murray lowers his head, a little embarrassed. He pops the cap off the chapstick, finally going quiet for a moment as he applies a generous amount to his dried, chapped lips. The only sounds to be heard are the whimsical tunes flowing gracefully from the television, and Alexei smiles with desperate relief. He so badly wants to enjoy his film. And yet, his smile quickly falters once Murray’s stuttering voice cuts through the peaceful music in the background of the movie all over again. 

"Y'know what's really funny, I-" Murray starts, but he's almost instantaneously cut off.

"Мюррей?" ( _Murray_?) Alexei asks so quietly, so patiently, doing his downright best to mask his obvious annoyance. Murray swallows nervously, turning his head towards Alexei.

"Y- _uhhh_ …yeah?" he answers, voice shaken, his eyes avoiding Alexei’s.

There’s a small beat of silence.

"Каково это на вкус?" ( _What does it taste like_?) the scientist asks casually, his voice considerably deeper than usual. There's a certain sort of _something_ there. Murray can practically sense it, but he’s not exactly sure what it is. Is it... _sensual_? _Suggestive_ , maybe? There's no way in hell. He’s usually so quick to pick up those signals in other people, but with Alexei, his mind is drawing blanks. Still, he can't help but question his friend’s intentions when his dark eyes are drifting back and forth between Murray's eyes and lips. 

"P-pardon?" Murray stutters.

"The, what you call it? _Chapstick_?" Alexei’s accent is heavy. He gestures a hand at the chapstick, which is still twirling between Murray's nervous fingers. Murray blinks, dumbfounded.

" _Huh_?" another blink, "o-oh yeah! этот? ( _This_?) _Uhhhh_ …" the balding, bearded man runs his tongue just barely over his coated lips, eyes scanning the label on the tube as he does so. Alexei smirks, leaning to rest his chin in the palm of his hand. He pushes his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "это...вишня?" ( _This is...cherry_?) Murray says, nodding, "вишня." ( _Cherry_.) Alexei’s expression doesn’t change, but Murray swears on his life that there’s an odd glint in the Russian’s eyes at the mention of the flavor. Alexei’s eyes are almost studying him, focusing hard on his every move. There’s a heavy sense of regret weighing him down as he considers that _maybe_ he should have shut his mouth a long time ago. Perhaps then, he could have kept from annoying the shit out of his friend and, _goddammit_ , embarrassing himself like this. _He probably looks like a fool_. Murray’s face flushes, _hopefully_ unnoticeably in the darkened room.

"вишня?" Alexei whispers, blinking slowly, still smirking. It’s more like a statement than a question. Murray adjusts himself uncomfortably, scooting a smidge closer to the other on the couch. Worried that he’s pissed off his roommate, he clears his throat.

"Y-yeah. ты хочешь попробовать?" ( _Do you want to try it_?) He holds up the chapstick towards Alexei like it’s a damn peace offering, hoping to whatever high power is up there that the other won’t notice his hand just barely, but still visibly shaking. Their eyes meet, and Alexei scoots closer until his thigh presses into Murray’s. The sensation is almost electric. _What in the absolute hell is happening???_

Another torturous beat.

The melodies of the forgotten film playing in the background cascade throughout the emptiness of the living space the two of them are in. Shrouded in the blackness of night, left with only the glimmering spectrum of the screen, the moment has become something completely unexpected. There’s a heavy tension in the air unlike anything Murray’s experienced with the other before. And then Alexei final speaks, slowly, gently bringing a hand up. He grips the tip of the chapstick between two fingers, but just as Murray thinks he’s going to pull it out of his hand, he doesn’t. Instead, Alexei’s palm delicately moves to cover Murray’s hand, leaving a comforting kind of warmth there the investigator can’t really describe.

“больше чем что либо…” ( _More than anything_...)

It’s barely above a whisper, and Murray only catches the tail-end of it, as he’s so focused on the sensation of Alexei’s hand over his. With a quick glance upward, his awestruck eyes meet the other’s once more. And suddenly, without warning, the cartoon-loving, slurpee addicted scientist is leaning into Murray’s personal space. Alexei’s other hand moves to rest on Murray’s cheek, and his eyes fall shut.

Murray makes a noise like “ _wha-_ “.

And their lips connect.

He blinks for a beat.

Alexei moves forward slightly, pressing himself further against Murray’s warm body. His lips massage with pressure against the other’s, tongue swiftly darting out to run along Murray’s chapped bottom lip. Murray’s eyes widen, face flushing. He sucks in a staggered breath through his nose, his grip on the glass of vodka he forgot he’d been holding loosening and-

 _Oh_.

The glass collides with the ground, erupting in an incredibly loud shatter behind the couch. Alexei bounces back, head darting to the side, searching for the source of the sudden noise. He frantically sits up and glides his eyes through the darkness as if someone has broken in. _Which is impossible. He can be so silly sometimes._

“Что за черт??!!” ( _What the hell_??!!) He almost yells, his expression of shock quickly subsiding as his eyes follow a small trail of broken glass to the crystal-like pile on the floor. He pauses, turning back towards Murray. "Are you...are you okay?" Alexei asks shyly, quietly. Murray isn't quite sure how to respond. He's all too distracted by the tingling feeling left buzzing on his lips. And he's desperately trying to will himself to stop desiring more of Alexei's soft kisses and warm touches. _Cold and unfeeling. I have to be cold and unfeeling._ _Don't I…_? He blinks, nodding.

"Да…" Murray answers. Alexei smiles confidently, moving himself so that he's sitting flush against Murray again. He gradually pushes him back, allowing him to rest against the arm of the couch, and Murray nervously moves a hand between them. The hand presses carelessly against Alexei's chest. He tosses the chapstick aside. " _Lyosha_ …" Alexei cups Murray's cheeks with both hands and leans in so close to the other's face that they can both feel each other's breath against their skin. He laughs one of those laughs that sends Murray up on cloud nine, practically ridding him of any doubt he's kept inside completely.

He blushes deeply, which causes Alexei to smirk, "you taste like cherry…" he whispers, the underside of his thumb grazing along Murray's lip. Another intimate touch that's becoming addicting far too quickly. _Damn...maybe this isn't so bad after all?_

And then he pulls away completely. Just like that. Alexei adjusts himself back to his original position: leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees, attention now focusing onto the film Murray has almost completely forgotten about. The climax has already begun to play ( _when did that happen??_ ), various shades of purple and green casting bright reflections on Alexei's glasses. Murray says nothing, still left speechless. The pounding in his heart is so strong, it's almost as if it's going to burst out of his chest and cause a horrific scene in front of Alexei. He swears he can feel real, living butterflies swelling up inside his stomach too, and it almost makes him want to be sick. He wonders if Alexei was just messing with him for laughs, as he doesn't seem to acknowledge Murray's breathless confusion. _But he's never done anything like this before?_ _And why do I feel so... unbothered by the intimacy_? 

A voice inside his head is almost shouting out impatiently at him, " _because it's Alexei, obviously, you fucking goon_!!"

Ignoring the voice, the film in the background suddenly seems to capture his attention. For what reason, he isn't sure. _A distraction, probably_. Murray's eyes can't seem to look beyond it. So, he observes the final scene between the handsome prince and the massive, black dragon. It plays out just as he remembers, with the hero overcoming the evil of the villain. The hero who was once alone, has conquered the bullshit around him. Murray's internal confusion is beginning build more stress on him than ever before. _What if the voice is right_? He's become littered with a million different questions he wants to throw in Alexei's direction, but something about the timing doesn't _feel_ quite appropriate. Puzzled, Murray figures he may as well just finish the film off and let the awkward tension in the air fade out. _If that's even possible by this point_. He himself has become the source of about ninety nine percent of that tension, as Alexei looks as relaxed and content as ever. _The smug fucking bastard_. And as the film draws to a close, the expected happy, wholesome ending bringing a wide smile to Alexei's lips, Murray's anxiety sneaks up to kick him square in the gut. He so desperately wants to say something, but the words won't come out. The screen is fading to black, music building more and more tension. It's a chorus of angels crushing him under the weight of fear and doubt. He sucks in a breath, turning towards Alexei and- 

The Russian is smiling at him admiringly, head leaning on an arm which is resting against the back of the sofa. He chuckles. It's breathtaking. _God, this is so fucking cliched._

And then he breaks their silence again, after what has felt like ten thousand, long, aching years has gone by.

"I make you shut up, yes?"

 _W...what_?

Murray's lack of a response tells all, and Alexei rolls his eyes, "You would not be quiet! Наивная ты моя свинка!!" ( _Naive you are, my pig_!!) He chuckles again, shaking his head with an appreciative smile, "you are cute but, i want to watch the animation!" Murray tilts his head slightly.

 _Ohhh_...so that's what this is all about. His weird, anxiety fueled babbling from earlier. But then why did he choose to-

Wait, did Alexei just call him _cute_?

Not only that, did he just- 

Murray unexpectedly jolts upwards.

He shouts in mock, but still shocked offense,

"Lyosha, you bastard, did you just call me a _pig_??!!"

**Author's Note:**

> wwwwoooooooooooooooooooooo !!


End file.
